Tel: (951) 696-4830

California Smog Check

MURRIETA, TEMECULA CA – SMOG

Diversified Automotive is a licensed auto repairTemecula smog check facility as well as a full service auto shop. We are licensed to perform diesel smog checks and auto services and now have the ability to perform smog inspections on all vehicles. Including those that are directed to a “test only” and “gold shield” or a “STAR Certified” station. We also can certify vehicles tagged as “gross polluter” and have the ability to perform state assisted CAP repairs also. We hope to help you soon!

THE EMISSIONS TEST

The first test the smog check center will administer as part of the entire smog inspection process is the emissions test. The following is a list of emission components that will be inspected by the Murrieta smog technician:

In order to pass the emissions test portion of the smog inspection in Temecula county, your car’s engine must be burning fuel efficiently. Insuring hydrocarbons in it’s combustion chambers are thoroughly spent. Hydrocarbon is gasoline put simply. The more gasoline your vehicle’s engine combusts completely the less pollutants are emitted into our air.

The emissions test will measure your vehicle’s HC, CO and NOx production, and insure they are within the limits set by the State of California. Your vehicle’s CO2 and O2 emissions are measured as well. However these results do not effect passing or failing the emission test.

Optimum fuel combustion is achieved when the engine can maintain a 14.7:1 air/fuel ratio during the combustion process with a constant variation +/- 5% to assist the catalytic converter operation. 14.7:1 air/fuel ratio insures your car is not burning or wasting fuel. If you notice your car is using up or burning too much gas than it’s possible that your vehicle’s air to fuel ratio is rich.

Performing routine tune ups which should include changing the spark plugs, air filter, fuel filter, and engine oil, either just before an emissions test, or as required by the vehicle’s manufacturers will greatly improve your chances of passing the emissions test.

THE VISUAL INSPECTION

During the visual portion of the smog inspection the smog technician or auto mechanic will be looking for the presence and proper connection of several State of California required emissions components. The visual portion of the smog test will include a Visible Smoke Test as well.

The Temecula smog technician must locate and verify that all emissions components are present and properly connected. Along with emissions components the smog technician will also be looking for any defective or disconnected electrical connections, vacuum hoses and/or any pipe or plumbing which would effect engine performance and ultimately increase harmful smog emissions.

Note: During this part of the smog inspection process the technician’s inspection is only visual. It does not include testing emissions component for proper operation. The technician is required to simply locate the components visually and insure they are properly connected. If a vehicle fails the smog inspection then it is up to the vehicle’s owner to have individual emissions components inspected for damage or defects and repaired.

Vehicle Smoke Test

Vehicles subject to a smog check require a visual inspection for excessive black or white smoke being emitted from the exhaust and the tailpipe.

This test is in addition to the tailpipe emissions test. The smog technician will be required to enter his/her observation into the smog machine after the emissions test portion of the smog check.

Excessive smoke that is either black or white will cause a smog check failure. If your vehicle is emitting visible smoke then you will need to have the fault diagnosed and repaired before it can pass the smog check. Vehicles with severe engine damage may be emitting smoke from the engine compartment. This too will cause a visible smoke test failure.

What causes excessive black smoke? Visible black smoke may indicate one of two things.

1. The engine is not burning fuel properly leaving behind high amounts of Carbon Monoxide (CO) resulting in excessive black smoke being emitted from the tailpipe. These vehicles will experience increased fuel consumption as well.

2. Engine oil is seeping into the combustion chambers and need repair. Oil is mixing with the fuel & air mixture leaving behind high amounts of carbon seen as excessive black smoke being emitted from the tailpipe. Oil seepage may occur due to defective piston rings and valve seals. Or due to defective Positive Crank Ventilation (PCV) System.

What causes excessive white smoke: Visible white smoke may indicate a burned or blown head gasket which will need repair. Excessive white smoke (steam) is caused by water seepage into the combustion chambers. Which on a running engine, operate around 2500f. Water has an opportunity to enter the combustion chambers through the head gasket at the junction of an engine’s valve head and block. This will typically cause overheating and white smoke in the exhaust coming out of your car’s tailpipe.

Note: Excessive white smoke should not be mistaken with normally emitted white smoke typically seen during cold days, and until an engine is properly warmed up. The smog check program is aware that vehicles may emit white smoke when cold, and insures a vehicle is properly warmed up prior to administering the smog test.

White smoke during start up or in cold weather is simply steam, and will not cause a smog check failure.

FUNCTIONAL INSPECTION

The final part of the entire smog test process is the functional inspection. The functional inspection is mainly conducted by the smog technician, and is hands-on. The smog technician will insure proper operation of the following emissions components and systems.

A. Engine Ignition Timing

Your vehicle’s engine ignition timing will be inspected during the smog test. The smog technician will insure ignition timing is set properly, and the system is supplying electric current to the spark-plugs at the correct intervals.Spark, 15,000 to 20,000 volts, is created at the engine’s ignition coil. Electricity is delivered to the coil, a spark is generated, then sent to the distributor. It is the distributors responsibility to route the spark to the correct spark plug, at the correct time. The timing inspection will insure the distributor is sending spark plug energy at the exact moment required for optimum air/fuel combustion. Adjusting a vehicle’s ignition timing is performed by rotating the distributor clockwise or counter-clockwise direction as needed.

Failed Ignition Timing: Engine ignition timing is measured in degrees. An ignition timing failure for example; ignition timing is required to be set at 15 degrees Before Top Dead Center (BTDC) and instead is set to 10 After Top Dead Center (ATDC). This fault will cause a functional failure, as well as increase Hydrocarbon (HC) emissions. California’s emissions standards allow timing to be up to 3 degrees +/- off the manufacturer’s required setting; resetting is recommend. One or two degrees off will not cause your vehicle to fail the ignition timing inspection.

Electronic Ignition Timing: Some late model vehicles may not have an ignition distributor, and therefore no timing adjustment or testing of the ignition system is required. On these engines, timing is controlled electronically by the Engine Control Unit, also known as the ECU, and the camshaft sensor and/or crankshaft sensor.

Both the crankshaft and camshaft sensors send vital data to the ECU indicating the position of the engine pistons, thus allowing the ECU to send spark to the proper cylinder at the exact moment fuel and air mixture is at it’s optimum pressurization.

Check Engine Light (MIL)

My car’s check engine light is on. Will I fail the smog test? Contrary to public belief, the check engine light, malfunction indicator lamp, or service engine soon light being constantly illuminated is an automatic smog failure. Vehicle manufacturers have placed the check engine light inside the passenger compartment to inform the driver that there has been an engine or drive-train malfunction.Often a vehicle’s check engine light can be illuminated but the owner not notice any drive-ability concerns. Once the check engine light, malfunction indicator lamp (MIL), service engine soon lamp turns on, the engine’s ECU (emissions control unit – may also be referred to as engine control unit or engine control computer) begins to operate under pre-programmed data rather then of real-time. In other words, the computer has sensed an error from an emissions component, and replaced the data from the component with data from it’s memory.

How is the Check Engine Light tested? During the emissions inspection the check engine light is tested two ways. The first is conducted by the smog technician, and the second by the Murrieta smog machine. The smog machine test only applies to vehicles 1996 model and newer. We will explain why later.

Part 1. OBD I & II“Check Engine Light” Test: During the smog technician’s functional test, he/she will be looking for a constant or intermediate illuminated check engine light, malfunction indicator lamp, or service engine soon light. By the way… all three of these lights are similar in terms of being engine emissions trouble lights. Your vehicle is equipped with only one of these types of lights. Murrieta Ford Motor Company will typically choose to use a service engine soon light instead of a check engine light. Murrieta Honda chooses to use the check engine light. Each manufacturer has a preference. They all do the same thing.

The smog technician or mechanic will be looking for an illuminated check engine light during the smog inspection. Any time the check engine light is illuminated while the engine is running causes an automatic smog test failure. The only time the technician wants to see the check engine light on is when the ignition is in the ON position, and engine not running.

If the check engine light is not illuminated while the ignition is in ON position and engine off, this too causes an immediate smog check failure. The fact that the check engine light does not turn on during ignition ON may be due to a defective emissions control computer and/or a defective light bulb (Check Engine Light Lamp – 12v). Both are failures.

During the last phase of the Temecula smog test, the auto repair technician will be asked to enter your vehicle’s check engine light visual results. He/She will enter the data as noted. Check engine light OFF or ON. That alone will determine your vehicle’s success in passing the test or not.

Part 2. OBDII “Check Engine” Test: The second part of Check Engine Light test applies to 1996 or newer cars, trucks, SUVs, vans, and RVs only. These vehicles are equipped with an On Board Diagnostics (OBD II) system and input/output data link connector (DLC). During the smog test your vehicle will be attached to the smog machine via it’s OBD II DLC link connector. The OBD II link will relay all “Check Engine” conditions along with stored trouble codes within it’s database to the smog machine while the vehicle is being tested. If any trouble codes are present which caused the check engine light to illuminate either regularly or intermittently, the data will be sent to the smog machine via the data link connector cable and the vehicle will fail the smog inspection.

The OBD II diagnostic system is designed to monitor all aspects of an engine’s emissions control system, and report this information to a central database within the ECU (computer). This information is processed and checked against the computers pre-determined values for various inputs levels and performance patterns. If any problems are found, the computer will determine whether to alert the driver or not. If a decision has been made to alert the driver of an emissions problem, the “Check Engine” or “Engine Malfunction” light will illuminate on the vehicle’s dashboard. In more serious emission conditions the computer may even begin to rapidly flash the “Check Engine/Malfunction” light indicating to the driver, that the vehicle needs immediate diagnosis/repair attention.

Part 3. OBDII “Readiness Flags” Test: Your 1996 and newer car, truck, van, SUV, or motor home will not pass the smog test if certain “readiness flags” are not set. Some “check engine” related failures don’t illuminate the check engine light, but do cause smog check failures. These faults are referred to as “readiness flag” faults. Readiness flags indicate that certain emissions systems which the OBD II computer has been monitoring have passed internal self monitoring tests, indicating that those systems are working properly. If the smog machine detects that there are certain readiness flags which have not set, the data will be relayed to the smog machine and your vehicle will fail the smog test.

In order to set all the proper Readiness Flags the OBDII system must complete at least one good drive cycle (in some cases two or three). A good drive cycle is a sequence of passing internal tests which the OBDII computer runs while your vehicle is being driven. This insures all emissions systems are functioning properly. A drive cycle usually requires one to two weeks of ordinary everyday driving.

Part 4. OBDII “Trouble Code” Test: This OBDII test is not applicable to 1995 and older vehicles. Trouble codes indicate that the OBD II computer has detected a problem within the emissions system. The trouble code will specifically indicate the component and problem which was found. Newer vehicle’s have very complex codes in the thousands. Smog check repair centers can retrieve the trouble codes from the OBDII and inspect the component/s which the codes indicate.